All Press Releases for December 12, 2017

Rita M. Kepner Celebrated by Marquis Who's Who for Almost 45 Years of Practiced Industry Experience

Dr. Kepner is refocusing her energy into her art career while she continues, part-time, as a proud reservist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of US Department of Homeland Security, helping people after catastrophic events



    NORDLAND, WA, December 12, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Rita Marie Kepner, Ph.D., has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Recognized for nearly four and a half decades of invaluable contributions to her field, Dr. Kepner parlays her knowledge into her role with FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, where she has served as a member of the disaster reservist public information and congressional affairs division since 1993. Prior to entering the professional world, she attended Elmira College and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harpur College. In 1972, she enhanced her art career with the University of Washington, where she served as an experimental college instructor for two years. For the next four years, Dr. Kepner served as an instructor for the sculpture internship program at Evergreen College, during which time she also took on the role of artist-in-residence for the city of Seattle and delegate for the International Sculptors Conference. From 1984 until 1986, she worked as a writer, editor and public affairs specialist for the Seattle district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At that point, she took on the role of federal women's program manager in Schweinfurt, Germany, and the next year, held the same role in Wiesbaden, Germany. During this time, Dr. Kepner also served as an editor with Schweinfurt Crusader and a public affairs officer for Wiesbaden Milcon Headquarters, and began pursuing postgraduate studies at Oklahoma University. For the next few years, she pursued postgraduate studies at Seattle Pacific University and Western Washington University as well, and took on such roles as USACE spokesperson for Exxon Valdez clean-up efforts and instructor in writing and editing for managers for the Department of the Navy. Her subsequent degrees include a Master of Arts in management from City University in Seattle, and a Ph.D. from Washington State University's Edward R. Murrow School of Communication. She worked as a teaching assistant and instructor for Washington State University and instructor for City University in Seattle.

Throughout her extensive work with the government, Dr. Kepner has assisted in relief efforts for natural disasters through FEMA more than 70 times including Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, she assisted in relief efforts for the flooding in Louisiana and the Joplin, Miss., tornado. Over the next four years, she worked on efforts after Hurricane Sandy, flooding in Chicago, Pennsylvania and Texas, and fires in California.

In addition to her academic and governmental positions, she has been a long-time artist and has had the honor of exhibiting her work in one-woman shows in Warsaw, Poland, as well as at Willoughby Wallace Memorial Gallery, Penryn Gallery, and Haines Gallery, and group shows in Wiesbaden, Germany, Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, and at Manawata Gallery, the Modern Art Museum in Seattle and the Polish Home Association.

Her sculpture is on display in public places including: Warsaw Museum, Warsaw Poland, City of Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, Seattle Public Library, Children's Hospital, Seattle City Collection at Seattle Center, Kenmore Public Library, Lowell School, Washington Mutual Savings Bank in Seattle, City University of Seattle, and First Lutheran Church of West Seattle.

A shining example of skill in her field, she has also co-written a book under the pen name Rita Marie Matthiesen with Laura Callender entitled "Through Fire and Water," published in 2013, and has earned a Specialist Achievement Award, 17 certificates of recognition through FEMA, the Citizen of the Year Award through Marrowstone Island, Washington, and the Keith & Turi Jackson Award in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Additionally, she has had the honor of being named to Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who in American Politics, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in American Art, and Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America.

She is the founder of the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council.

Dr. Kepner is married to John C. Matthiesen and they have one son, Stewart J. Matthiesen.

To learn more about Rita Kepner, please visit http://www.cityu.edu/blog/dr-rita-kepner-gallery-collection-donated-c ... y-seattle/, http://www.sculpture.org/portfolio/sculptorPage.php?sculptor_id=1000801, or http://rita-kepner.s3-website-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/. To learn more about FEMA, please visit https://www.fema.gov/. To find Dr. Kepner's book, "Through Fire and Water," please visit https://www.amazon.com/Rita-Marie-Matthiesen/e/B00HYHYOEU.

About Marquis Who's Who :
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America , Who's Who in the World , Who's Who in American Law , Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare , Who's Who in Science and Engineering , and Who's Who in Asia . Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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